Weight Loss Surgery: What are the Different Types of Surgery? (Part 2 of 3) | HealthiNation

PHYSICIAN let’s talk about restrictive surgeries.
Simply put, restrictive surgeries decrease the size of your stomach. The two most common
techniques are called laparoscopic gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty,
or VBG.
PHYSICIAN: Laparoscopic means tiny incisions are made to insert thin tubes attached to
video cameras to guide the doctor through the surgery. Because this is considered a
minimally invasive procedure, it usually means a quicker recovery, less time in the hospital
and less scarring than an open procedure. With gastric banding an inflatable silicone
band is placed around the upper part of the stomach like a belt or wristwatch. This banding
divides the stomach into a small and large portion, leaving a narrow opening between
the two. This, then, controls the amount of food that can be consumed and slows the food
as it is emptied from the esophagus into the stomach, resulting in a quicker sensation
of fullness. Unlike many of the other bariatric surgery options, the gastric band is reversible
and once the band is removed, the stomach will return to its original shape. This gastric
band is adjustable and allows your doctor to inflate or deflate it using a saline solution
that’s administered through a thin needle. The second type of restrictive surgery, VBG,
is more commonly known as “stomach stapling.” In this procedure, a band and staples are
used to create the small pouch at the top of your stomach. The effect is similar to
the gastric band – the patient will likely eat less food and feel full sooner.
Now, “gastric bypass” surgeries are a combination of both restrictive and malabsorptive
procedures. Malabsorptive means the digestive system is changed so that food doesn’t travel
through part of the small intestine where nutrients and calories are usually absorbed.
The most common gastric bypass surgery involves stapling part of the stomach to create a small
pouch about the size of a walnut. This is the “restrictive” part of this procedure
and is similar to VBG or gastric banding. Next, part of the small intestine is cut and
re-shaped into a “Y” and then reconnected directly to the stomach pouch. This way, when
food is digested, it bypasses most of the stomach and parts of the small intestine responsible
for absorbing nutrients and calories. Since food doesn’t pass through these portions
of the small intestine, rapid weight loss can occur. Gastric bypass can be performed
through open surgery or laproscopically. Keep in mind…once gastric bypass surgery has
been performed, it can’t be reversed.
HOST We’re lucky today to have made great advances
in medical technology. And these different surgeries give the right person a lot of options.
But you should know that they’re not suitable for everyone. And none of these weight-loss
surgeries are substitutes for healthy living.